


A Silent Plea

by Mello_Drama_Reborn



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, one-sided eimugi implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 12:56:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13295343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mello_Drama_Reborn/pseuds/Mello_Drama_Reborn
Summary: Natsume catches Tsumugi practicing the audition piece tofine, and decides to watch.





	A Silent Plea

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to @clanleaderanjou, who helped me navigate the massive collection of stories that is enstars after her infectious enthusiasm finally dragged me into it. Hell really has no bottom.

Tsumugi's concentration was broken by the loud sound of a fist pounding against the doorframe, sending him stumbling through the difficult dance steps he'd been doing as he quickly turned towards the sound's source.

"Na-Na-Natsume-kun!?"

Natsume was glaring coldly at him from the doorway to the practice room, his fist still laying against the wall. Tsumugi couldn't imagine why his junior would look at him in such a way, still panicking as his eyes moved off Tsumugi to the music player, his eyes narrowing on the source of the flitting classical music.

"Is this the PERFORMANCE PIECE to audition for _fine_?"

"Ah, um-" Tsumugi scrambled to turn off the music, looking back over at Natsume nervously. "It's not like I'm planning on leaving the unit! There's no way Eichi-kun would want to perform with me again or something like that, so just attempting would be completely ridiculous! It's only that it's been some time since I've been on stage, so I was worried that my dancing might be a little rusty!" Natsume's eyes narrowed on him further, his glare intensifying on him with every word he spoke until the pressure felt unbearable. "Okay, so I guess I was also a bit curious- even though I'm not going to re-join _fine_ , I wanted to know if I could do it. I always thought that a plain person with no presence like me couldn't possibly have been a true member of that peerless unit, that I couldn't've possibly been equal to people like Eichi-kun or Nagisa-kun..." He looked back to the music player, starting to forget that there was anyone else in the room with him. "But if I can perform this unreasonably rigorous piece that gives everyone so much trouble, then maybe I can convince myself that I really was worthy to share that stage with them back then..."  
Tsumugi's musings were cut off by another loud bang as Natsume punched the wall again, letting out a cry as he jolted to attention to look at his unit leader.

"FINE. In that case, show it to ME." Natusme walked further into the room, passing Tsumugi to sit down on the bench next to the music player, his finger hovering over the play button. "As your unit leader, I will ASSESS you."

Tsumugi gulped, almost trembling under the intensity of Natsume's eyes. He knew Natsume held a grudge against _fine_ , and Tsumugi by extension- he didn't seriously want to see Tsumugi perform _fine_ ’s audition piece, did he? Was this some sort of test of character that he didn't understand?  
But the intensity in his gaze held a challenge, also. Perhaps Natusme also wanted to measure the performance level of _fine_ \- both the rigor of their audition piece and the skill of one of its former members.  
In that case, it was Tsumugi's job to uphold his former unit's honor. No, it wasn't for _fine_ \- he'd perform to prove his own skill, as his senpai, as someone who was capable of crushing people as powerful as his fellow Oddballs. He'd prove that his unit's victories then were no fluke- that he was powerful both as an enemy as an ally.

Natsume frowned when Tsumugi made no moves to retrieve the glasses laying next to the music player, standing still and focused in the center of the practice room as he waited for Natsume to start the track. During Switch practices, Tsumugi practiced in his glasses, even though he sometimes worried that they would fall off, making him flustered and distracted. Now, however, he stood with his eyes closed, and as he took a deep breath, he seemed to shed his nervous, awkward personality, standing still and quiet, like a toy soldier waiting for its owner to turn the crank on its back and bring it to life.  
He started the music, and when Tsumugi's eyes opened they were distant, seeing nothing. He was in another place now, on _fine_ 's stage, and even though he danced in the colorful practice clothes of Switch, he movements recalled the starched white finery of his former uniform.  
It was uncomfortable. Natsume glanced at the discarded glasses again, wished his senpai would make some effort not to look like the person he'd watched destroy his nii-sans during his first year, from high up on that cruel, brilliant stage.  
Even though he had watched him back then, Natsume hadn't believed that Tsumugi could move so decisively; his movements were quick and neat, and accurate to a millisecond- perfect enough even for one of Valkyrie's performances. It wasn't the result of genius or natural talent, however- it had the look and feel of something that had been practiced tirelessly, painfully - something crafted through excruciating time and effort.  
It was the emotion that fueled that dedication, the feelings that formed the undercurrent of every movement of his body, that didn’t sit well with him.

As the song finished, Natsume gave him a slow, aggressive clap, Tsumugi heaving with exertion even as he held the ending pose, not letting his form falter until the end.

"CONGRATULATIONS. You FAILED."

"Wha-what!?" Tsumugi looked at him miserably, the sweat falling off his face combined with the redness of exertion in his cheeks making it look like he was already crying.

"You FAILED." Natsume crossed his legs in front of him, his frown deepening. "Your dancing was FLAWLESS, and your voice stayed strong despite the difficulty of the CHOREOGRAPHY and the music ITSELF, but you spent every moment looking as though you were in PAIN. Though _fine_ is a unit that brings pain to OTHERS, even THEY wish to bring joy to their AUDIENCE, CORRECT?"  
What Natsume had felt from his performance was longing, tragic longing- desperately reaching out for something unrequited, begging for recognition, for the briefest turn of eyes onto him.  
It was a piece meant for just one person.  
That person was not Sakasaki Natsume.

"Switch's magic is the magic of HAPPINESS. In order for it to reach our audience, you must channel it with every movement of your BODY, must project it through your VOICE, and most importantly, summon it with a SMILE. If you can't do that while you PERFORM, you will never be a true MAGICIAN, or a proper IDOL."

"R-Right! Thank you, Natsume-kun!" He smiled, but his eyes looked like they were looking at someone else, waiting for the reaction of someone who wasn't there.

Natsume frowned harder, picked Tsumugi's glasses up from the bench and held them out.

"You should spend the time you spent practicing THAT THING on Switch's songs."

"Ha ha, yeah, but since we're a new unit, we don't have a lot of material to practice yet, do we? I feel like if I repeat the same things over and over, I'll just end up getting sloppy." His laughter was as unbearably hollow as always, and Natsume restrained the urge to hit him in frustration.

"Are you saying that, compared to _fine_ 's workload, I'm not being RIGOROUS enough for YOU? Should I work you into the GROUND until your useless eyes can clearly see the entrance to HELL?"

"Ehh??? I don't know what that means, but please don't! I already keep running behind on making new outfits for Switch, I don't think I could handle Natsume-kun's special training as well!!"

"Special training, HM? Not a bad IDEA." He turned to fiddle with the music player, navigating to one of their unit songs. "You'll run through the choreography for our newest piece with me, and I won't let you STOP until you're smiling like a proper idol." He got up to stand next to Tsumugi, starting to stretch his limbs as he cast him a sidelong glance.

"Since the practice room is already reserved, I guess I don't mind if you want to practice with me, Natsume-kun. I like the idea of spending time smiling together~"

"Good. I'm going to make you SMILE until you DIE."

"Ehh?? Natsume-kun said something really scary just now!?"

Soon the bright music of Switch filled the practice room, clearing the stale, stifling air of former _fine_. As Natsume danced, he kept casting glances over at his partner, focusing all his magic on a spell that could clear that cold numbness from him, exorcise that deep, buried loneliness.

His magic hadn't worked on him so far, but one day, Natsume hoped that laugh of his would sound real.


End file.
